


V is for Virgil, Not Vampire

by pickledragon



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: (virge is deadnamed but only briefly), Alternate Universe - Human, Coming Out, Fluff, Gen, Halloween, Moxiety if you squint (not that hard tbh), One Shot, Self-Acceptance, Trans Male Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Trans Male Morality | Patton Sanders, gender euphoria
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:34:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23210308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pickledragon/pseuds/pickledragon
Summary: Trans!Virgil's first Halloween: where, with the help of Patton, he comes out to all of his friends. And because it's Virgil, he does it in full costume.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 17
Kudos: 82
Collections: fic to read for the bubbly feeling!





	V is for Virgil, Not Vampire

**Author's Note:**

> special thanks to silverrhayn for her beta work and her excellent title suggestions
> 
> this was an absolute joy to write, thanks @satanicbuttlice (on tumblr) for the prompt!

It's the day of the Halloween party, and it still hasn't arrived. Virgil finds himself pacing outside on the porch, wearing a rut into the old but sturdy wood. 

"Hey kiddo!" Patton pops his head out from the house, the clamor of a kitchen alive with several very frustrated bakers covered in flour audible behind him. 

“Say hi to Vivi for us!” Roman shouts, before his enthusiasm is cut off by a well-timed chunk of cookie aimed his way. Virgil tries not to flinch at the deadname.

Patton sighs with understanding. “How are ya doin’?”

"I've been out here for the last four hours, how well do you _think_ I've been doing?" Virgil snaps.

Patton frowns and moves to shut the door quietly, making his way out onto the porch. "Now Virge, I know you're stressed. This is really important to you! But no need to be so... crabby!" he says, pointing towards his apron, which proudly hosts a lobster with a large cooking spatula.

Virgil huffs, and concedes to the jokester, despite himself. "Wrong crustacean, but the pun is decent."

"My personal goal," Patton winks.

"Sorry. I'm just nervous. I've been planning this costume for months, and if it doesn't get here, then it'll all be for nothing." Unspoken is the fact that this means a lot more to him than simply having the best outfit.

Patton takes Virgil's arm and guides him to the suspended bench near the end of the porch. They sit, and Patton lets his legs swing in the air. "That's not true, and you know it. Whatever happens tonight, it doesn't change how we feel about you!"

At Virgil's skeptical glance, Patton pulls him into a quick but tight hug. "You're our best friend, no matter how you look. Even if it never arrives, you'll still be able to do everything you wanted to! They'll accept you either way."

Virgil grumbles but leans into the touch. "But you spent so much money on it. I wouldn't want it going to waste."

"Savings for a rainy day," Patton tsks. "What better way to spend it than on a friend? Besides, it's not like I could have given you my old one." Virgil nods reluctantly.

"It'll come eventually, buddy. The delivery-person probably just got stuck in a localized sandstorm, or was just proposed to! Maybe they were targeted by a small clan of miniature people determined to protect their way of life, or were robbed by bandits and are now going on a swashbuckling journey across land and sea to retrieve their packages..." 

Patton continues on in the same vein and Virgil takes a deep breath. Patton is probably right: it’s going to be a good night. And goddammit, whether the delivery-person brings it or not, Virgil is going to come out, and it’s going to go _great_.

All these thoughts, however, don't prepare him a lick for the sight of the mail-person making their way up the gravel driveway.

"Oh my god, they're actually here," he breathes. Patton cuts off abruptly through a long tangent about the intricacies of the postal system according to a short film about Santa's elves to run down and vigorously shake the mail-person's hand off. Before Virgil can blink, Patton has obtained the package, and a dizzy but smiling mail-person is headed off in the opposite direction.

With a small flourish and... was that pocket confetti? Patton gives Virgil the package. "Presenting your binder, delivered by our very own postal system!"

Virgil goes to retort but is too choked up for a witty retort. "Thank you, Patton. You don't know how much this means to me."

"Oh, I think I do," Patton grins. "I didn't have top surgery until two years ago, remember?"

Virgil holds the package close to his chest. "Yeah, I remember. Guess we better head upstairs to get ready then?"

Patton nods. "Logan and Roman can handle the baking for a little while longer. I doubt they'd burn down the house a _second_ time!"

They walk inside the house and Virgil takes a left towards the stairs, before noticing that Patton isn't behind him. "Aren't you coming?

"Nah, I'll be up in a little! I should give you time to try it out for yourself." Patton smiles and almost skips back inside the living room, where Dee and Remus are arguing over decorations. "You two, please remember that we can't have hyper realistic gore at a family-friendly Halloween party!"

Virgil floats up the stairs in a haze. This is it. He'd planned this forever, but now that the time has come, it barely feels real.

When he gets to his room, he slams the door harder than is actually necessary and locks it behind him. Virgil catches sight of himself in the mirror, a lump underneath all his baggy clothing. His hair is down in a rat's nest of tangles, but that won't matter for long.

He yanks off his hoodie and changes into his pair of boxers. He'd already bought a packer a couple of weeks ago, but tonight would be the first time he'd use it in public. With a little adjustment to match the curve of his pelvis, the first step of his transformation is complete.

Virgil grabs his scissors and opens the package as fast as humanly possible. The binder is a little stiff, and he can tell the only way to improve it will be wearing it: an entirely appealing prospect. 

His hands are almost shaking as he pulls out his phone and scrolls through his list of bookmarks. He pulls up the 'How To' article that has been his lifeline for the past couple of months: 'How to Bind Safely.'

He follows the instructions and turns the binder inside out and steps into it. It takes a little finagling, but soon he can pull the straps onto his shoulders and adjust the fit. Virgil steps back to look at himself in the mirror.

It knocks the breath out of him: his silhouette looks, for all intents and purposes, like a guy's. Not in so many layers you couldn't see what he looked like, but... as himself.

There's a knock at the door, and Virgil lets Patton in, still distracted by his image in the mirror. It feels... right. Better than right; perfect. He holds his shoulder length hair up in the shape of a ponytail and adjusts what it will look like. This is actually happening.

"You look wonderful Virge!" Patton says, his voice thick with tears. He always is an easy crier. 

"Yeah," Virgil agrees without argument. "I really do."

"You still want to go through with the rest?"

Virgil has never been more sure in his life. "Absolutely."7

Patton squeals in excitement and yanks him into a chair that seems to have manifested out of nowhere. "I knew Dad forcing me to take cosmetology classes was going to pay off someday," Patton declares, as he pulls out his makeup kit and hair supplies. 

He switches his phone to smooth jazz as he runs a comb slowly through Virgil's hair. "Thank you so much for choosing the Best Barber for all your barber needs!" Patton trims Virgil's bangs into a more reasonable shape. 

"What if they think it's too different?" Virgil's question is met with a spritz of water to the face. He splutters and Patton smiles innocently. "Oh dear me, whoops! Totally didn't mean to prove how irrational you were being with my barber-shop supplies!"

Virgil shakes his head in fond exasperation, but is careful to keep his language more positive. “Then, I guess…. do you think it’ll look good?”

“Of course! I’m the one doing it,” Patton winks. “And for such a low cost too! Glad to hear I’ll be paid in exposure and a movie night where I make you watch all of Nichijou for the fifth time in a row!” 

Virgil swats at Patton’s hands. “Hey, I thought we agreed we were going to have a Tim Burton marathon?” 

“I agreed to nothing,” Patton says as he takes the razor to the sides of Virgil's head. “My hair supplies, my choice of show.” He trims up Virgil’s hair and steps back to admire his handiwork, handing Virgil a hand mirror. “How does it look?”

“Amazing,” Virgil says, beaming. He runs his fingers through his newly short hair and it’s almost euphoric: he’s never felt so comfortable in his own skin. 

Patton applies some light makeup to contour his face, and nods. “I’ll keep it pretty basic for now, I don’t exactly know what your costume makeup will look like!” 

Virgil gives him a thumbs up in thanks. If everything works out, it should be flawless. 

“Looks like my work is done! I’ll leave you to it!” He squeezes Virgil’s hand in support, then leaves to finish preparing for the party.

Once Patton is gone, Virgil pulls a box out from underneath his bed. Time for the next step: assembling the perfect Halloween costume for his debut. 

\-----

The party is in full swing only a couple minutes after it officially starts. Their friends had come early, laden with streamers and far too detailed costumes, and they’d all proceeded to nerd the fuck out. 

Roman and Logan had changed out of their aprons into costumes more befitting the event. Logan (to the excitement of Roman and Patton) had recruited help to design his Mega Man armor, and he currently hops around the living room spouting facts to anyone who will listen. 

Remus and Roman are in the kitchen in matching costumes: King Triton and Ursula, respectively. The decorations, as always, had turned out amazing, spiderwebs dripping from every corner and strategically placed jack-o-lanterns keeping the rooms lit. 

Patton stands by the stairs, fidgeting in his outfit: a mishmash of a scientist and cowboy costume. When asked about his costume, Patton spouts off his signature phrase: “There ain’t enough research labs around here for the two of us!” 

Seeing friends mill around having the time of their lives brings a fuzzy feeling to his heart, but Patton is still on edge. Virgil is due down any moment now, and though he’d said otherwise, Patton can’t help but feel a little nervous for his friend. 

Patton’s gender transition had gone pretty rocky, all things considered. His old ‘friends’ didn’t take it well and abandoned him, after spreading rumors to half of his high school. Meeting Virgil, Roman, and Logan (and later Dee and Remus) in college was like a life preserver in an ocean of struggle, and their friendship lasted even after they graduated. They didn’t care about his past, his silly taste in movies, and they didn’t even bat an eye at his asexuality. He could be himself around them, and that was the most valuable thing in the world. 

Virgil came out to him one night, sobbing over a tray of Fourth of July cookies, and Patton knew the time had come for him to return the favor, to the people that had made his life worth living again. He’d shared his story, and he and Virgil sat at a table, browser tabs full of information and a dictionary full of baby names open to the V section. It was slow going, as it should have been. Patton would know: gender shenanigans were a big deal, and should be approached in the person’s own time. 

It was Virge’s idea to have a grand ‘Coming Out’ display for the others, to Patton’s slight surprise. Who would have known the guy who worked as a stage manager for a living held a theatrical streak? They’d settled on Halloween back in September, giving enough time for Virgil to finish up the process of getting on testosterone, and to conclude sewing his costume for the event: both vital for the reveal.

Virgil had started T a week ago, after far too many grueling doctor’s appointments and paperwork that could’ve filled an entire filing cabinet. But now, after all this work: they’d made it to Halloween. And tonight was going to go amazing. 

Patton is broken out of his thoughts by the creak of a door. There are two flashes from Virgil’s flashlight, and Patton gathers their close-knit group from various corners of the house to the steps of the stairs. 

“You’re going to love this,” Patton says in a sing-song voice. “V's has been working so hard to pull off a big reveal!”

Dee raises a single eyebrow in curiosity. “So that’s why we haven’t seen her since the party started.”

“I can neither confirm nor deny that,” Patton responds cheerfully. 

“I am prepared to have my mind blown. Preferably into small enough pieces to be inconvenient to clean out of the carpet.”

Roman rolls his eyes at Remus’ antics. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be fantastic. Vivi is quite the talented tailor!” Logan nods his agreement.

Suddenly, footsteps make their way down the stairs. All five of them look up to see Virgil, but unlike they’ve ever seen him before. He’s smiling widely, for one.

Virgil is dressed from head to toe in an intricately crafted vampire cosplay, thick cloak fastened at his throat. Embroidered trim covers the edges, and the bottom just barely brushes the floor. Detailed fake blood is splashed across his face and white shirt, tucked loosely into grey slacks, cut to fit his body. Best of all are his fangs, carefully attached to his teeth to make the seam unnoticeable.

He is also, quite obviously, presenting male.

"Holy shit, it looks amazing!" All eyes in the room flit between Patton and Virgil, whose eyes are wide as saucers.

"Patton, I don't think you're actually legally allowed to swear,” Roman interjects. “Remus, is he allowed to swear?” Remus shakes his head. 

“Technically, we never made any such rule,” Logan says. "But on a practical level, I wholeheartedly agree. Patton, desist at once."

"Fuck!" he says with a wink. Virgil can't hold back his snort. Attention comes back to him, and Dee steps closer to examine Virgil’s craftsmanship. He makes pleased noises at the cape.

“You look, quite frankly, amazing,” Logan says.

Remus pushes his way past the two to give Virgil a noogie, careful to muss up his new haircut. “Absolutely agree!” Remus shouts. “Couldn't have done it better if you were an _actual_ creature of the night.”

He blushes under the praise. "I'd like to go by Virgil now, if that's cool. He/him pronouns too.”

"Cool? Of _course_ it's cool, it's better than cool!" Roman shouts, the tentacles of his Ursula costume moving with his arms flapping. 

“What a great choice, if I do say so myself. Always did like that poet,” Remus adds. He punctuates the statement by stabbing his trident into the air. 

“You hated Virgil when we had to read him in class—” Remus cut off Roman with a good-natured elbow to the ribs. 

Dee snickered. “Virgil, regardless of any literary work, you look wonderful. Happy, even.” Patton slings his arm around Dee’s shoulders and nods in agreement. 

In that moment, Virgil is very happy he sealed his makeup, because the tears that had been building in his eyes threaten to spill over. “You guys… thank you.”

“We’re your friends, Virgil. No trouble at all,” Patton says through his tears, flowing freely. 

Dee is the first to go in for the hug, joined quick as a flash by Patton, who herds the rest in. They squeeze in, as tightly as the bulkier costumes allow. Roman and Remus might or might not start sniffling. 

And Virgil smiles. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! comments make my life, and you can find me at learningthomas.tumblr.com or instagram.com/_pickle_dragon


End file.
